Meryl Streep goes there: warns of ‘brownshirts’

Blind hysteria is taking over among Trump haters. Based on no evidence whatsoever, one of the nation’s most prominent actresses last night warned of “brownshirts” – a reference to Hitler’s uniformed Sturmabteilung (SA) thugs who broke up opposition rallies and physically intimidate opponents -- “and worse.” What would be worse than brownshirts is left to the imagination, but perhaps in Ms. Streep’s feverish dreams, concentration camps and gas chambers lie ahead?

Ms. Streep, in New York City accepting an award from the Human Rights Campaign, referred to the backlash she received after the Golden Globes in January, when she gave a speech denouncing Mr. Trump.

“It’s terrifying to put the target on your forehead, and it sets you up for all sorts of attacks and armies of brownshirts and bots and worse, and the only way you can do it is to feel you have to,” Ms. Streep said. “You have to. You don’t have an option. You have to.”

The words “drama queen” are doubly appropriate to this tirade. The President of the United States called her “overrated.” So far as anyone knows, she has not been rounded up and put into a concentration camp, nor has she been assaulted by uniformed thugs working for the president. In fact, she is receiving awards at galas and harvesting approval from the segment of the country that hates Trump. But it is oh so satisfying to see oneself as a heroic victim, undeterred by Hitlerian oppression.

I doubt very much that it even occurred to Ms. Streep that unformed thugs exactly like brownsirts recently broke up a political rally they disapproved of, using weapons and other means of personal violence to prevent people they oppose from hearing a speaker. A brownshirt analogy would be perfectly appropriate there. But Ms. Streep cares not whit that the victim – an open homosexual (hello, Human Rights Campaign!) – was an anti-Trump but a pro-Trump speaker.

In short, Streep made a fool of herself. And I doubt very much that ayone she knows will call her on it. But Milo Yiannopoulos may have some telling remarks for her. Stay tuned. This hysteria does not help the Trump haters persuade anyone who doesn't alresdy agree with their baseless fears.

Blind hysteria is taking over among Trump haters. Based on no evidence whatsoever, one of the nation’s most prominent actresses last night warned of “brownshirts” – a reference to Hitler’s uniformed Sturmabteilung (SA) thugs who broke up opposition rallies and physically intimidate opponents -- “and worse.” What would be worse than brownshirts is left to the imagination, but perhaps in Ms. Streep’s feverish dreams, concentration camps and gas chambers lie ahead?

Ms. Streep, in New York City accepting an award from the Human Rights Campaign, referred to the backlash she received after the Golden Globes in January, when she gave a speech denouncing Mr. Trump.

“It’s terrifying to put the target on your forehead, and it sets you up for all sorts of attacks and armies of brownshirts and bots and worse, and the only way you can do it is to feel you have to,” Ms. Streep said. “You have to. You don’t have an option. You have to.”

The words “drama queen” are doubly appropriate to this tirade. The President of the United States called her “overrated.” So far as anyone knows, she has not been rounded up and put into a concentration camp, nor has she been assaulted by uniformed thugs working for the president. In fact, she is receiving awards at galas and harvesting approval from the segment of the country that hates Trump. But it is oh so satisfying to see oneself as a heroic victim, undeterred by Hitlerian oppression.

I doubt very much that it even occurred to Ms. Streep that unformed thugs exactly like brownsirts recently broke up a political rally they disapproved of, using weapons and other means of personal violence to prevent people they oppose from hearing a speaker. A brownshirt analogy would be perfectly appropriate there. But Ms. Streep cares not whit that the victim – an open homosexual (hello, Human Rights Campaign!) – was an anti-Trump but a pro-Trump speaker.

In short, Streep made a fool of herself. And I doubt very much that ayone she knows will call her on it. But Milo Yiannopoulos may have some telling remarks for her. Stay tuned. This hysteria does not help the Trump haters persuade anyone who doesn't alresdy agree with their baseless fears.